Notes From the 2026 Greater NW Rail Summit

by Sean Jeans-Gail | VP of Gov't Affairs + Policy

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This week, I was fortunate enough to take part in the Greater Northwest Rail Summit and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Annual Conference in Helena, Montana, where leaders from across the rail, government, manufacturing, tourism, and community development sectors gathered to discuss the future of rail transportation in Montana and the Greater Mountain West and Pacific Northwest regions.

I participated in the Federal Policy Briefing on Surface Transportation Reauthorization alongside Dan Bucks—former Montana state budget director and current chairman of BSPRA's Development & Strategic Engagement Committee—and Rebecca Higgins, Vice President for Policy at the Eno Center for Transportation. The session examined the future of federal rail policy as Congress considers a transportation reauthorization package ahead of the September expiration of the 2021 Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA). Discussions focused on the implications of shifting federal priorities for passenger and freight rail, the legacy of the IIJA's historic investment in rail, and the opportunities and challenges facing rail funding and policy in the years ahead.

The panel highlighted the need to include guaranteed funding for passenger rail programs as part of any reauthorization—a element currently missing in the House proposal. While our association has been delivering that message consistently for years now, the necessity of predictable, dedicated funding for rail was particularly stark in that room. I was able to hear from representatives of small towns, states, tribal governments, the freight rail industry, and economic development organizations, all of whom are willing to invest their finite fiscal resources and time in developing these passenger train services. However, they were all looking to the folks who work in the world of federal policy for assurances that Congress will stay the course on rail policy in the next transportation bill. It’s unrealistic—and frankly, unfair—to expect these stakeholders to spend years of their time developing these corridors if Congress is going to radically shift federal transportation policy depending on which party happens to be in control when a bill is being drafted.

The good news: there’s still plenty of time to ensure that guaranteed funding is part of the next transportation bill.

The Senate has taken steps to extend current law through December, with the House likely to follow suit in September. That gives us almost four months to continue to deliver the message that meaningful investment in passenger rail is a critical part of preserving American mobility and economic growth. I asked attendees at the conference to help coomunicate this to their Congressional delegations.

And with our online advocacy tool, anyone can take part in this campaign—even you!

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